Why cognitive diversity will be a key feature of competitive advantage for the next 50 years.
"One a psychological point – we are attracted unconsciously to people who think like us. When people are mirroring our perspective back to us, it makes us feel smarter, it validates our world view. The pleasure centers of our brains light up in brain scanners when people are telling us things we already suspect or believe or confirm our prejudices.
"And can you see the problem? When it’s a simple task- that's fine, any one person has the solution – you surround yourself with like-minded others, you are able to deliver the solution. But as the complexity increases – and no one brain is sufficient to solve the problem - when you are attracted who think in the same way, you’re getting no uplift at all in collective intelligence.
"And by mirroring each other’s perspectives, you become more confident about a solution
that might be gravely mistaken. This is why cognitive diversity is so important – and I believe will become the key feature of competitive advantage for the next 50 years." - Matthew Syed
Video: The Power of Diverse Thinking | Matthew Syed